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Ultra-realistic tattoos blur art and life

No, you're not looking at a cyborg — just someone with unusual taste in body decoration, brought to life courtesy of Venezuelan tattoo artist Yomico Moreno.

Born in Puerto Cabello, Moreno has been honing his craft for almost a decade, and it shows. Moreno's art has brought him to international tattoo conventions from Caracas to Liverpool to Denmark, where, in 2010, he received awards for "Best Artist" and "Best Color Tattoo."

Moreno's approach is a venerable one, dating back centuries. Known as 'trompe l'oeil' (French for 'deceive the eye'), it's a technique meant to blur the distinction between art and reality by painting objects that appear to be integrated into the world beyond their frame. Applying this technique to a human body — rather than to a wall or ceiling, as is more typical — creates a striking effect.